1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an IC (integrated circuit) card for controlling operation of a camera and also to a camera for use with such IC card.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventionally, a magnetic card wherein a magnetic record medium is adhered to a plastic card such as a cash card or a credit card is used as an information inputting means to an information processing system. Such magnetic card however, is disadvantageous in that it contains only a limited amount of information, and while inputting of information from the card to an information processing system is available, outputting of information from such information processing system to the card, that is, writing on the card, is not available.
In recent years, an IC card is adopted which eliminates such drawbacks of a magnetic card as described just above. Such IC card includes a microcomputer and an LSI (large scale integrated circuit) memory embedded in a plastic card. As an IC card has an IC memory of the E.sup.2 PROM type or the like carried therein, it is advantageous in that it has a large storage capacity, that bi-directional transmission of information is available, and that the security is high. Accordingly. IC cards are expected to be utilized efficiently in future not only in the fields of finance and distribution but also in other various fields.
IC cards which are used commonly have a size of about 75 mm.times.57 mm and a thickness of about 0.75 mm.
Meanwhile, it is already known to expand functions of a camera by communication of information between an external accessory and the camera which serves here as an information processing system.
The present invention has been made taking notice that functions of a camera such as a single lens reflex camera which has a traditional profile are controlled in various manners by means of an IC card.